the trouble with gold
by KinkyEyepatchShit
Summary: Tulio's brand of therapy is rather unconventional even in the time of flogging and baths every five months unless you're stranded at sea with a horse and your partner in crime.


Notes: About fifty million years ago I wrote stuff for this fandom. I've cleaned it up a tad since then. Good job, me.

Miguel swayed into their Godly temple, humming a jaunty little tune under his breath and spilling about half of the strong El Doradoian wine in his cup as he stumbled along, an occasional giggle slipping from his tingling lips [should he be worried? probably. was he? not at all! That's what adventure is all about! Tingling parts apparently]. After nearly falling onto his face, colliding with an impressive statue of a warrior in the corner, and two Godly robe adjustments later, he came to the middle of the room and stopped in his tracks at the scene before him.

Miguel and Tulio gazed deeply into each others eyes for a few breathtaking seconds which seemed like an eternity.

Then Miguel raised his wine cup at eyelevel, peered in as if it was the answer to all his problems [well, the Tulio shaped ones], promptly turned tail and walked out.

Tulio stared, gaping and red cheeked as Miguel retreated on wobbly legs. "H-hey! Miguel, I-"

Miguel in turn held up his hand in a silencing gesture [though Tulio rarely understands the meaning of the word]. "Uno momento partner, I think I've had a bit too much to drink because this clearly isn't right." He disappeared through the doorway, leaving Tulio with that whole caught red-handed feeling like ice in his veins, only to return seconds later, a weary look on his young face.

"Tulio….do we need to talk about this." Miguel began with a sigh, so unlike his usual jaunty behavior. See, it wasn't just a one way street as Tulio frequently bitch- er, assumed. Miguel had his moments of Partner Scolding too. Which was not one of his fetishes, mind you, that was entirely Tulio's forte.

Tulio chuckled nervously, brushing skittish fingers across his goatee as if he didn't know quite where to put them anywhere non incriminating. "Aha…ha…t-talk about what, amigo? There isn't anything to talk about. At all. Nope. So why don't you go visit ol' Chief man so he can make googly eyes at you some more!" He snapped, his lips pulled into a tight scowl.

Miguel gaped. "Tulio….I….he….." He planted his hands on his hips and scoffed. "I don't think you can really talk, senior massage therapy with the hot native girl."

Tulio hissed as if in actual pain and held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, shutting the boca _right_ now about that…..truce."

"And besides," Miguel continued, either not hearing him or uncaring but most likely both, "this isn't about who or might not be getting fresh with whom this time. This is about you and this problem." He sighed, running a hand through his disheveled locks, his expression troubled. "I didn't think it would be a problem but….I was clearly wrong. You can't handle it."

"Miguel, you're acting like I'm some sort of…of….crazy addict or something! I'm just trying to relax, nothing like your freaky flogging fetish-"

"Tulio, you're up to your waist in gold coins." Miguel finally spoke of the elephant in the room. His eyes brimmed with nothing but pity, confusion, and hidden mirth within their depths.

"Yes. Yes I am. Like I said. Relaxing." Tulio cleared his throat, undeterred. He even went as far as to shift, make himself more comfortable, _lounge_.

"Relaxing. In here. _Alone_."

"Yup."

They shared another sensual staring contest.

Miguel pulled on his robes all business-like, lips quirking into a smile. "You leave me no choice. If you're not going to go out there and mingle with the natives I must take it upon myself to at least make you seem like a normal functioning member of society." You know shit was about to go down when Miguel mentioned functioning. Normally. And Tuilo in the same sentence.

Tulio was left to sputter and flail as his partner approached, circling his prey like a predator on the prowl. "Hey, I can function just fine _thankyouverymuch,_ as you very well know." He broke off with a leer and much wiggling of his eyebrows, not that it helped the current situation or reduced his reigning embarrassment at all. If only he was better at concealing as much.

Suddenly Tulio was graced with a lap-full of Miguel, his arms automatically wrapped around the blondes waist to steady him on the mound of coins- now with the added bonus of his loaded dice. "What uh….what are you _up_ to, partner?"

Miguel tipped his head to one side thoughtfully, those full lips of his stretched wide with a hint of teeth. Positively spelling doom for one goatee laden partner of his. "Oh, do you have a coin caught in your ear too, love? I believe I said we're going to be working on that socializing iproblem/i of yours." He leaned in and nipped at the others earlobe, eliciting a full-body shiver and a gasp to go with those clinking coins. "You'd do best to listen closely next time."

Tulio's cheeks bloomed scarlet and after sputtering, unable to form words for a full minute, he managed to choke out something _astounding._ "R-right, well uh, this is why I have so much to learn and you iare/i a great teacher." He smirked, pulled Miguel closer, his eyelids at a sultry, lust filled half-mast. "Though I could use a bit more work, don't you think?"

Miguel returned the smirk, warm arms winding around Tulio's neck like they belong there [they do, don't they].

"Starting with that mouth of yours."


End file.
